Technologies
AI-Powered Smart Devices Help Older Adults Age at Home, Survey Finds
Despite trust in smart home tools and cameras, though, older people are generally skeptical of AI-generated material.
Older adults often find artificial intelligence smart home devices and voice assistants useful in helping them age in place, according to a new survey by the University of Michigan.
More than half of people surveyed aged 50 and older have used generative AI tools they spoke or typed messages to, according to the National Poll on Healthy Aging, released by the U-M Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.
By comparison, a June Pew Research Center poll found that 25% of US adults 50 to 64 and 10% of those 65 and older had used ChatGPT, OpenAI’s flagship AI tool and the most popular chatbot. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
The Michigan survey, a telephone poll of 2,883 adults ages 50 to 97 across the US, looked not only at text-based chatbots like ChatGPT but also voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri. Most significantly, the survey found nearly all older adults want to be sure when they’re receiving information generated by AI.
«AI is here to stay. Many older adults seem to know about its benefits, yet most want more information about potential risks when using AI technologies,» Robin Brewer, an assistant professor in the U-M School of Information, said in a statement. «The near-universal interest in clear labeling of AI-generated information should also be heeded by policymakers and the AI industry.»
Smart home devices help older adults maintain independence
The Michigan researchers found 51% of Americans aged 50 or older had used voice assistants in the past year, with 80% of those saying the devices helped them live independently and safely at home. AI-powered home security devices, like smart locks, cameras and alarm systems, were used by 35% of the adults, with 96% saying they helped them live independently.
«Smart home devices frequently suggest using their latest features to watch over older relatives or help them live better lives,» CNET smart home expert Tyler Lacoma said. «AI face recognition, for example, can send alerts to a family member if it spots someone leaving their home or granny pod to go shopping. Smart locks, meanwhile, make sure that older users never forget to lock the doors when they leave. I’m curious to see what the newest AI voice assistants like Gemini and Alexa Plus will bring to the table for older adults, perhaps by making more complex home technology easier to use with simple conversation.»
Another 14% of adults reported using AI to receive health-related information, although 47% of them said they’d rather interact with a person or by phone for that kind of information.
Older adults are generally skeptical of AI
Just 35% of the older adults surveyed said they’d be interested in using AI in their day-to-day lives, and while 58% expressed interest in knowing more about the benefits of AI, even more, at 81%, said they wanted to know more about the risks. Just over half of them said they thought AI would do more harm than good. That split generally aligns with the results of a broader Pew survey from earlier this year, which found 51% of Americans were more concerned than excited about AI.
Read more: AI Essentials: 29 Ways You Can Make Gen AI Work for You, According to Our Experts
The older adults in the Michigan survey also expressed understandable skepticism about the information generated by AI models, with 47% saying they had little or no trust in it. A similar portion said they weren’t confident they could detect when it’s incorrect. That problem is significant, especially as more information-gathering tools like search engines are built primarily on AI. Experts advise that you should always double-check information before making an important decision.
«This inability to tell verified information from false information, whether in the form of text, image, video or audio, is especially important when it comes to health information,» poll director Dr. Jeffrey Kullgren said in a statement.
Technologies
Tubi App Goes Live in ChatGPT to Give You TV and Movie Recommendations
Like the ultra-customized feel of a Tubi rec? The streamer aims to make it even more personalized.
Tubi, the free streaming platform known for its vast library of cult classics and indie movies, has added an app to ChatGPT. You can now use the chatbot to find content recommendations for TV shows and movies on Tubi, the streamer announced on Tuesday.
You may already have your own search strategy when using Tubi, but the addition of the native app within ChatGPT allows you to strike up a conversation and ask for uber-specific, personalized title suggestions. If you see a film or show that captures your interest, you have the option to click «Watch on Tubi» to stream it on a mobile device or the web. In the mood for scary movies about yetis? Use @Tubi for your prompt in the chatbot and request something like, «horror movies with aggressive yetis» and expect to see a selection of titles that fit your wish list.
«Streaming should feel effortless, and as chatbots and AI agents are becoming a common way people navigate the internet, Tubi is expanding its discovery experience to meet viewers in the moment they’re expressing intent in their own words,» Mike Bidgoli, Tubi’s chief of product and technology, said in a statement.
ChatGPT opened its app store this past December. It currently includes apps for Apple Music, Zillow, Spotify and Canva, offering the ability to connect your accounts to search, design or ask for recommendations. Back in 2023, Tubi created its own AI-powered tool called Rabbit AI for mobile users to help audiences find content to watch. The company later shuttered the feature, which used Open AI’s Chat GPT-4. With today’s launch, it’s the first video streaming service to add an app within ChatGPT.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
Technologies
PlayStation Plus Subscribers Can Play Tomb Raider and More All April Long
Subscribers can also explore a Soulslike game that just got a big update.
PlayStation Plus, which is Sony’s version of Xbox Game Pass, offers a large, constantly expanding library of games. Subscribers can choose from the Essential, Extra and Premium tiers, each with unique perks and benefits. Starting at $10 a month, the plans give subscribers access to games and rewards, and each month, all subscribers can play a handful of new games at no additional charge. And some people on Reddit are pretty excited for a few of the games Sony is offering subscribers throughout April.
One user wrote how they are «buzzing» for the remastered Tom Raider games, while another user is willing to replay the Soulslike game Lords of the Fallen. «April fools’ joke? Because they’re actually good,» a third user wrote.
If you’re a PlayStation Plus subscriber, you can play these games now until May 4.
Lords of the Fallen
If you played Elden Ring and thought, «I wish this game had even more grimdark elements to it, like Bloodborne,» Lords of the Fallen might be for you. Choose one of nine classes to play as while you traverse the lands of the living and the dead in order to overthrow the demon god Adyr. You’ll fight all manner of monstrosities along the way, like a colossal humanoid with an arm protruding from its mouth or a giant carrion crow that wears a human skull.
HexWorks, the gaming studio behind Lords of the Fallen, also released a patch for the game on April 3. The patch is intended to make co-op sessions feel more rewarding for hosts and guests, so you and your friends should have even more fun in this game.
Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered
Experience these classic Tomb Raider games from the 90s all over again — or for the first time — with the remastered trilogy. You’ll explore jungles, solve puzzles in the desert and tackle mercenaries and monsters along the way. While you can enjoy the boosted graphics of the remastered edition, you can also enable low-poly mode to experience these games as you would have almost 30 years ago.
Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream
A system called Galaxia has been added to Alfheim Online, allowing players to relive the past. But the system has spun out of control, displacing players throughout time. To set things right, you’ll have to work with friends and foes alike in this co-op raid battle game. But if you want to go solo, you can play story mode as characters from across space and time confront the anomaly in the VR world.
For more on PlayStation Plus, here’s what to know about the service. You can also check out other games on PlayStation Plus and games on Xbox Game Pass.
Technologies
Get Organized for Just $28 With This 6-in-1 Baseus Charging Station Deal
Ditch the cluttered cables and upgrade to this sleek USB power strip while it’s on sale for a record-low price.
For just $28, this six-in-one Baseus charging station can help you keep your desk organized. That’s 20% off and the all-time lowest price we’ve seen for this 120-watt USB power strip. We don’t expect this limited-time deal to last for long, however, so you’ll want to get your order in sooner rather than later.
You can use this charging station for just about all of your devices, including phones, tablets, headphones and laptops. It’s equipped with four USB-C ports and two USB-A ports, so you can charge up to six devices at once. It also boasts a 65-watt single-port output, enough to fully recharge a MacBook Air in less than 2 hours. And at just 323 grams, it’s light enough to take on the go, making it a great buy for frequent travelers.
Why this deal matters
This sleek Baseus charging station can connect to up to six devices at once, and is still small enough that you can take it on the go. Plus, this is the all-time lowest price we’ve seen, making it a pretty great value.
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